6 Days: Antalya and the Coast

Six days from an Antalya base adds the start of an honest Kas overnight, 190km out, to the Perge, Aspendos, Side, Termessos, Olympos and Pamukkale run. Same spine as the 5-day plan , one more day added. Going longer? See the 7-day plan , which finishes the Kekova boat trip and the drive back.

Book these before you go

Day Focus Distance / Drive Time
1 Perge and Aspendos 18km and 47km, 20-45 min each
2 Side 76km, 1-1.25 hr southeast
3 Termessos 37-39km, 40-45 min northwest
4 Olympos and the Chimaera 80-85km, about 1.5 hr south
5 Pamukkale and Hierapolis 250-300km, 3.5-4 hr north
6 Kas (overnight start) roughly 190km, 3-3.5 hr southwest

Day 1: Perge and Aspendos

Morning

Drive 18km/20-30 minutes east to Perge, the closest ruin on this coast.

Afternoon

Continue 30km/15 minutes to Aspendos, the single best-preserved Roman theatre standing anywhere. Entry runs roughly 700 TRY ($15/13 euros), free with the MuseumPass , and it still hosts the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival every September (2026 dates: Sept 10-29).

Evening

Back in Antalya for dinner.

Day 2: Side

Morning

Drive 76km/just over an hour southeast to Side, a working beach town built directly around a Roman theatre and harbor.

Afternoon

Walk the open town for free; the theatre is the ticketed piece, exact current fee unconfirmed across sources, verify on site.

Evening

Sunset through the Temple of Apollo’s columns, then the hour back to Antalya.

Day 3: Termessos

Morning

Drive 37-39km/40-45 minutes northwest into Guillik Dagi National Park, early, the gates reportedly close by mid-afternoon.

Afternoon

Entry runs roughly 100-120 TRY ($2-3/2 euros, verify on site). Steep, shadeless walk to the mountaintop ruins, real hiking shoes and extra water required. Background on the site sits on the Ministry of Culture and Tourism site .

Evening

Back in Antalya by late afternoon.

Day 4: Olympos and the Chimaera

Morning

Drive 80-85km/about 1.5 hours south through Kemer to Olympos, ruins and a real beach on the same stretch of sand.

Afternoon

Split the time between the ruins in the pine trees and the beach. Entry fees and the access point vary by whether you start from Cirali or the Olympos end, verify on site.

Is the Chimaera Hike Worth Doing After Dark?

Yes, it’s the one stop on this route built specifically for evening. The Chimaera’s natural gas flames barely register in daylight; after dark they glow visibly against the bare rock above Cirali.

Evening

Hike the short trail to the Chimaera flames after dark, then drive back to Antalya, or stay overnight in Cirali.

Day 5: Pamukkale and Hierapolis

Morning

Pamukkale is 250-300km/3.5-4 hours north, the longest single-day drive on this route.

Afternoon

The white travertine terraces and the Hierapolis Roman ruins run roughly 30 euros combined entry, Cleopatra’s Antique Pool swim adds about 6 euros more. Hierapolis-Pamukkale’s inscription details are on the official UNESCO listing .

Is a Single-Day Pamukkale Trip Worth the 7-Hour Round Trip?

It’s a real grind but it works. A commercial day tour’s roughly 5am-to-8pm window leaves genuine hours on-site, just not a leisurely visit, and it’s the honest tradeoff for keeping this a 6-day trip rather than a 7-day one.

Evening

Long drive back to Antalya, budget for arriving late.

Day 6: Kas, the Overnight Begins

Morning

Drive roughly 190km/3-3.5 hours southwest to Kas, too far for a same-day round trip once you add any real time in the town or on the water.

Afternoon

Explore Kas itself, a genuinely laid-back harbor town rather than a resort strip, small squares, waterfront cafes, and boats loading for the next day’s Kekova run.

Do You Need to Book a Kas Hotel Before You Leave Antalya?

Yes, especially May through September. Kas is small, popular, and books up in high season well before the shoulder-season crowds hit the rest of the coast, so lock in a room before you leave Antalya rather than arriving to find nothing left near the harbor.

Evening

Overnight in Kas, boats to Kekova leave early the next morning.

Pack a bag for one night specifically, you don’t need to check out of your Antalya room, most travelers keep it and treat Kas as a genuine overnight detour from a fixed base.